My packing list is in order and everything is sitting in a pile. The bike is in order with new handlebar tape and lighting. All that remains is the final cleaning and lubrication. I've done some preliminary test packing and it's tight. 3 sets of shoes might seem like an absurdity but the cleated cycling shoes aren't optional. Sandals and a pair of hiking shoes are the problem; their're bulky. A small folding camp seat is an experiment. I can always ship or dump it if it doesn't work out.
Last night Rob and Suhani held a lovely retirement party for me. Many folks joined and I was greatly touched by the lovely things that were said about my time at Kaiser. I was reminded why I stayed with Kaiser for 19 years; clearly, it was the people.
42 days may seem like a reasonable amount of time to get things in order to go, and if that was the only thing on the agenda, it wouldn't be bad. Unfortunately, I got a bee in my bonnet to begin the lift of the San Jose house. The drought has conspired with geology (clay soil) to cause some uneven settling of the house. An engineer has designed a solution that requires digging and concrete and bottle jacks and I've pulled the requisite permits to do the job. A friend is helping, but is laid up for a couple of weeks with a wrist injury. So next week I'll be digging. (My back is a wreck from last week so the next and last hole may take the whole week!) There are a couple of critical parts to the work for which I need to be present. There still should be more than enough time, but I'm getting nervous. The last footing needs to be dug and they all need rebar before I can get the first inspection that is the prerequisite for the concrete needed to start the jacking. It's not a bad job if time isn't a problem.
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My apologies to the party organizers. Initially, I thought the expedition missed New Orleans. I was wrong, because not only do we do NO, but we have 2 layover days there, presumably to dry out after the festivities. The probable dates are listed below as October 28 and 29. This is subject to change depending on how well we hold to the itinerary but it should be close; most likely the earliest we'd be there.
Let me know if there is interest in meeting there. Linda may also come out.
I will have a cellphone and tablet along on the trip, and I'm expecting LTE and internet access in towns and campsites, so will be more in touch than when in Europe.
Date, location, mileage
Sept 13 start Point Loma
Sept 14 Point Loma shakedown
Sept 15 Alpine Ca. 38
Sept 16 Ocotillo ca 58
Sept 17 Brawley ca 39
Sept 18 Palo Verde. 69
Sept 19 Quartzite Az. 55
Sept 20 Salome. 38
Sept 21 Wickenburg. 55
Sept 22 Phoenix. 55
Sept 23 layover
Sept 24 Superior. 67
Sept 25 Globe. 24
Sept 26 Safford. 81
Sept 27 Threeway. 37
Sept 28 Buckhorn 44
Sept 29 Silver 38
Sept 30 layover
Oct 1 Mimbres. 50
Oct 2. Caballo 57
Oct 3. Leasburg 45
Oct 4. El Paso 63
Oct 5 Fort Hancock 55
Oct 6 Vanhorn 75
Oct 7 Fort Davis 91
Oct 8 layover
Oct 9 Marathon 55
Oct 10 Sanderson 55
Oct 11 Seminote Cyn 81
Oct 12 Del Rio 41
Oct 13 Montell 70
Oct 14 Lost Maples 45
Oct 15 Kerrville 47
Oct 16 Johnson City 69
Oct 17 Austin 59
Oct 18 layover
Oct 19 Bastrop 32
Oct 20 Carmine 62 Texas is bigger than I can imagine.
Oct 21 Navasota 48
Oct 22 Coldspring 48
Oct 23 Silsbee 75
Oct 24 Merryville 55
Oct 25 Obelin 58
Oct 26 Chicot 50
Oct 27 Simmesport 57
Oct 28 St Franisville 60 (New Orleans)
Oct 29 layover Oct 30 layover
Oct 31 Easlenville 56
Nov 1 Poplarville 85
Nov 2 Vancleave 74
Nov 3 Dauphinis 71
Nov 4 Gulf Shores 40
Nov 5 Layover
Nov 6 Milton 68
Nov 7 Defuniak Spings 59
Nov 8 Marianna 64
Nov 9 layover
Nov 10 Tallahassee 66
Nov 11 Waukeenab 32
Nov 12 Sunanee River 61
Nov 13 Ichetucknee 40
Nov 14'Hawthorne 68
Nov 15 Palatka 38
Nov 16 St Augustine